Empty to full – From Hopelessness to Redemption
Transfiguration Sunday; Ruth 4:7-12
Jim Whittaker
Sermon Illustration:
In the movie “Amazing Grace,” William Wilberforce a Methodist activist tries to live out his life as one who is redeemed by God, which at times can put him in risky and vulnerable places. He was a member of the English Parliament and along with the prodding of John Newton a slave ship captain said these ships of enslavement must go. For to live as one born anew in Christ, is to be born in freedom not slavery. John Newton best known for the words of the beloved song Amazing Grace says in the film, “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” Used in the movie is an old song that is made new by Chris Tomlin. Chris Tomlin writes a new version of the song Amazing Grace giving it a chorus and picking up some very old original verses of the song. The chorus says, “These chains are gone, I have been set free. My God my Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood his mercy rains, unending love, amazing Grace”
The movie “Amazing Grace” is about redemption. It is about being bought and set free. I Peter 1:18 says, “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, (you were) not (ransomed) with perishable things live silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.” Ransom here means to be bought. In other words, we were bought with a great price. Jesus himself reflects these words in Mark 10:45, “for the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” We may recall in the Servant Song in Isaiah 53 v. 11, “the righteous one my servant shall make many righteous and he shall bear their iniquities…..yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” Yes, Christ paid the price. He bought us as a slave owner buys a slave. Paul states as such in I Corinthians 6:20, “for you were bought with a price.” What was the price? Hebrews 9:14 says, “the blood of Christ.”
Text
Today is Transfiguration Sunday. It is the day Jesus reveals himself to James, Peter, and John in his full glory. It is here that we see God at work in our redemption story. As we end this series, let us not forget – Ruth tells a story of redemption, which foreshadows the work of Christ. Boaz goes to the city gate. This was the place of legal transactions. It was the court of our day. There were 10 witnesses present – enough for a marriage. There are questions, we can’t answer in the text. Did Ruth and Naomi mortgage the property? Did the next of kin take over the property when they left, and would assume that he could purchase the property under the circumstances of the death of Naomi’s husband and sons? The next of kin is very interested in the property. Perhaps, he has already been using it.
I. Who is willing?
Redemption is at stake. This un-named kinman in our modern language would be called “so and so.” It was an un-named person that could be any of us. He was not interested in redemption. He was interested in what he could get in this world. Could Boaz be talking to us, are you interested in redemption? Or is it just the things of this world? Boaz was willing. So and so was not. It cost too much. He will lose some of worldly wealth in order to redeem. He does not want the responsibility of the upkeep of two widows. Sure they need to be taken care of, but not me. Redemption cannot occur by just anyone. Someone has to be willing to redeem us.
Listen to the servant song found in Isaiah 50, “I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard. I did no hide my face.” A redeemer has to be willing to redeem. Jesus was willing. Phil. 2 says, “he was obedient …to the death on a cross.”
II. Redemption means new Start. Redemption is freedom. What we are talking about is freedom from the power and guilt of sin. It is a new chance for humanity.
What is at stake for Naomi and Ruth is a chance to start over. A clean slate – that is what God gives us – do overs, restarts – it is called grace. What is simply amazing is the people that are in this lineage that will include Jesus, the one who saves. There’s Lot’s daughter, Rahab the harlot, Tamar who took matters in her own hand as she appeared as a prostitute to Judah who had not honored the kinsman redeemer. There is the boldness or perhaps even the foolishness of Ruth. Yet all of these are in the family line of the redeemer. It is humanity at perhaps its best and its worst.
Who can redeem? Not just anyone – not a so and so – not someone who is interested only in himself. Boaz becomes a Christ like figure as he is willing to take on the debt of Naomi and Ruth. A kinsman redeemer was willing to die to self for the benefit of the other. The first born son of the marriage of Boaz and Ruth would be to continue the family line of Naomi and Mahlon as first born son, the son would have a double inheritance. The land had to be bought. Ruth was redeemed in marriage for the family line. There was a great cost to this redemption.
Don’t lose the point that redemption is costly. Redemption by our nearest kinsman redeemer Jesus Christ cost him his life. Jesus paid with his blood in agony on the cross so the family line could continue in fellowship with God. Naomi took this first child born of the marriage of Ruth and Boaz and became his nursemaid – in essence he became her son.
III. Witnesses
In the Bible, where there are at least 3 witnesses, the transaction is legal and binding. It was custom at the time of Boaz to take off your sandal as a witness to the transaction. There were 10 elders there as a witness not by accident as 10 would be witness to a marriage.
Isaiah 44:8 says, you are my witnesses. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples said we are his witnesses. Jesus after the resurrection told the disciples, they were his witnesses. We are now the witnesses of the resurrection and the redemption in Jesus Christ. We cannot be quite. There is a story to tell. That’s why I am asking each of you to invite someone to church next Sunday. Redemption is at risk
On the cross, Jesus had the thieves next to him as witnesses. One believed and the other did not. There was Mary his mother and John the disciple, they were witnesses. There were the Roman soldiers. Joseph of Arimethia must have been there. They all witnessed Jesus’ death, but let me tell you my friends, Jesus upon his resurrection holds his sandal up and says to the world, to the devil, you are a witness, I have redeemed this one. Can you picture yourself at the cross. Jesus is standing there with his sandal and says, I have paid the price. I have bought this one. I have bought preacher Jim. Christ has bought you. I have heard the words, I have bought you with a great price. How can I be still?
IV. We are not worthy
We might think I am not worthy of such a great redemption – to be set free from sin – to live unto God. None of us are worthy. Ruth gets a chance to restart. Naomi and Ruth left the Moab empty. They return unto the land of God and now they experience God’s abundance. They experience God’s abundance because they cooperate with God’s saving grace. Ruth had to demonstrate she was willing to be redeemed, and then she could live a fruitful life. At the end of this book, we find another scandalous story with Tamar and Judah who has withheld his son as kinsman redeemer. In the end, Perez part of the family line of Obed, Jessee and David, brings a son to be a redeemer.
We can’t whisk this story under a rug. It is bigger than us. For Lent, we are doing a whole series called 24: the last hours of Jesus. We will start at the Lord’s Supper and end at the cross. It is our story of redemption. Today as we ponder redemption, go to Good Friday – the sky is black. Jesus is on the cross. He has paid the price. What is your response to such a great love?
Amen.
A Plan of Action
Ruth 3:6-11
February 7, 2009
Jim Whittaker
Illustration: Marriage Proposal
In the movie, Spider Man 3, Peter Parker gives a surprise visit to Aunt May as he shares with her, that he is going to ask M.J. to marry him. Aunt May gives Peter some advice. They need to be ready.
She shared that she had actually said no at first to her husband, because they were not ready. Aunt May also said, the man needs to learn to put his wife before himself, and make the marriage proposal special. Aunt May then gives Peter her engagement ring to give to M.J. s o it would be something she would never forget.
Dianna and I had already talked about marriage before I proposed. I wanted to be sure she would say yes. We spent one Sunday afternoon driving and talking. We went down to Pearisburg, VA. In our area, that’s where people went to get married fast. I still remember the look on her face. She was actually excited. The hard part was when she told me I had to talk to her parents.
In a Christian understanding of marriage, it is the two becoming one. It is an act of physical intimacy. It is a bond that is strong. It is a new unit and understanding of life. It is a new unit in the eyes of God as we live out both our physical and spiritual needs.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says,
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Marriage is this unit before the almighty God. The 3rd cord is God himself. Marriage is fellowship for the journey of life, and marriage is for procreation – the bringing of new life into this world.
Text:
Today’s text as we move through the book of Ruth, is a marriage proposal. I was surprised by the number of times that Ruth and Boaz were mentioned by name. I suppose it is because they had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David. It is the same family line or genealogy of Jesus. When we were in the Palestinian area of Bethlehem, they showed us the fields of Boaz. I have to admit, they were hillier than I was expecting. The other interesting thing is how close Bethlehem is to Israel. It’s only 2 or 3 miles away.
So this is our location for our story. The wheat and barley harvest is over. There will be little time where Ruth and Boaz will be meeting each other so easily as they have in the 7 weeks of the harvest. Time is of the essence. So Naomi comes up with a plan. Ruth must act now. Ruth must act boldly. Ruth must claim what is rightfully hers. This is more than just a good coach pumping up Ruth to act. This action will benefit Naomi as well. Do not forget her family line needs redeemed.
Act I. Dreaming A Bold Plan of Action: An Uncovering
In playing the game of life, we often will ask someone what is your game plan? This means what are you going to do to reach your goal? A bigger question might be what are your goals? Goals make a difference. I give you this illustration:
Illustration: Goals
Four men used to meet together each week in Memphis. One man was a service station owner, one man was a salesman for a wholesale appliance company, one man was assistant treasurer of a large corporation, and one man was a teacher. These men shared with each other their longings, desires, and plans. They decided to set goals and to share these with each other. The service station owner set a goal to be making $50,000 a year within five years. The wholesale appliance salesman set a goal to be making $25,000 a year within the next five years. The teacher set a goal to be teaching in one of the greatest educational institutions in America within five years. The assistant treasurer said he was going to do the best he could, but he was not going to set a specific goal. Within five years the service station owner was making in excess of $50,000 a year. Today he worth over one million dollars. Within four years the wholesale appliance salesman was making $25,000 a year. Today he is a wealthy man. In two years and ten months the teacher was offered the best teaching job in his field in the United States. The assistant treasurer is still working at his same job in the circumstances that he was in the day the goals were set. Aim determines direction. When you aim a pistol toward a target, how you aim determines the direction the bullet will go. The conscious and sub-conscious goals you have for your life have brought about the situation in which you find yourself today. A goal you set, an aim you determine with your intellect and emotions is one of the most powerful forces in the world.
Phillipians 3:14, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Have we set our goals? Are our goals to follow God’s call of redemption in Jesus Christ? Oh, how God could work if we set our hearts to godly goals. Jesus had a goal. He said he must go to Jerusalem. He didn’t say I would like to go, I hope to go. He said he must. Now that is a goal.
Naomi had a plan. It was to put Ruth in a situation where Boaz would have to act. Remember, he is one of the nearest kin of Elimelech. Ruth has no male heir meaning the family name and more importantly, the family property will disappear to the family. It is even possible that the property was mortgaged to make ends meet. They were about to lose the property. Naomi is claiming an inheritance by putting this plan into action. Ruth is claiming a part of this inheritance by complying with Naomi’s plan.
Having a goal, means having a plan. This story of family redemption is also a story of our own redemption. Ruth will have a son named Obed, who will have a son named Jessee, who will have a son named David who becomes King and from whose family line Jesus, the Messiah, King of Kings comes from. In effect, our own redemption is in this plan. For out of Boaz’s loins comes the family line that leads to Jesus, the great redeemer.
Here is Naomi’s plan. It is full of risk. It is full on intrigue. The telling of this story is full of double meanings so that theologians can argue about what it really means. It is a bold plan and full of risk. What if? What if something goes wrong? Ruth is misconstrued? But, they agree to go with the plan.
Ruth is to go the threshing floor where the days grain would be threshed or separated from the stalks. She is to wait until Boaz has had too much to drink and too much to eat and goes to sleep right there on the threshing floor. The weather has not co-operated on this day. The harvest was late. The threshing was late. It’s midnight or so and Boaz lays down.
There are many euphemisms in this passage like the uncovering of his feet. An example today might be we used the word sleep to mean sleep and physical intimacy. Ruth is placing herself in a very suggestive way. She is forcing Boaz’s hand. When Boaz wakes up he is startled to find a woman with him in such a suggestive position. The plan has unfolded.
Let us not forget this whole story is filled with double meanings. These ladies are empty, and barren and are seeking to be redeemed. We as people in this world are empty and barren and through God’s redemption that comes through Jesus Christ, we are made full again as God intended in the garden of Eden.
The key to this part of the passage is the plan. What is our plan? Is God in it? Are we seeking redemption or are we going our own way.
Act II. Putting the Plan into Action - Midnight on the Threshing Floor: Recovering
There are two ways I suppose to look at this passage. One is God helps those who help themselves. Certainly we see Naomi and Ruth very active in making sure the family line is redeemed. We also might say though God is at work behind the scenes throughout all of this. Was it chance that Ruth went to Boaz’s field? Is there such a thing as co-incidences? I don’t want to down play though the risk Ruth takes here. She could have been considered a common prostitute. Boaz could have taken advantage of her vulnerability. Naomi is trusting God will work all of this out. Ruth is trusting Naomi that she is a wise woman and this is a good plan. Boaz is trusting God that all of this is not just a coincidence.
Here we find a truth in serving God. We have to make ourselves vulnerable to help others. There is a cost to ourselves. There is a risk of ourselves. Many times when we do not help others it is because the cost is too high. That is why we need to remember that Jesus made himself vulnerable enough to be nailed to the cross and to be considered by some to the enemy of God, when in fact. Jesus on the cross is the source of our redemption. When the Rev. Sam Dixon lined himself up with the poorest of the poor in Haiti, he joined them by dying with them. He made himself vulnerable to what the poor people of Haiti face.
The plan was actually quite simple. That was to force Boaz’s hand. Ruth told Boaz, “spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman redeemer.” There are two things being asked: Marriage and the redemption of the family line of her dead husband. Inheritance is an issue as the first born son would be considered to be her dead husband’s son and have part of the inheritance. Ruth is asking for protection, and she is asking for a family. Ruth in essence is laying her life down at the feet of Boaz. She is a model of how we should live out our lives for Christ. We lay down our lives to find ourselves. The scriptures say, whoever loses their life, finds life.
Ruth is asking for a recovery from which has been lost. Through sin, we have lost our inheritance to the heavenly kingdom. Through Christ, our kinsman redeemer, the 2nd Adam as Paul describes him, redeems us so that we have an inheritance with God the Father in heaven. We have lost fellowship with God but we can recover that fellowship through Jesus our Savior.
Another illusion given in this passage. Ruth comes that night dressed as a bride would for her wedding. Christ calls the church, all believers in Christ, his bride. Are we ready? Have we made preparations for the wedding?
Act III. Living into the Consequences of a Plan: The Promise of an Ending to Emptiness
We now have had a plan and a confrontation. This is the time we might say, “deal or no deal.” All bets are off if Boaz answers “no deal.” What occurs next is something that had not been fully revealed yet in the story. There is another potential suitor for Kinsman Redeemer. Or in other words, there is one that is closer kin to Elimelech.
Doesn’t it seem that way? You make a plan and set some goals, and then you encounter problems. We find that in ourselves. We accept Christ as our savior. We say we are going to live for him fully, and then we encounter problems. I don’t like problems. We might find problems challenging and even exhilarating to solve, but the truth be known, life is easier without problems, but God uses the problems of life to teach us Biblical truths.
Take Ruth’s situation. She is a godly woman. She is living within God’s will. She is doing all she can to take care of herself. She is putting herself in God’s hands. God hears her cry. Boaz is compelled into action by the godliness of her actions. Boaz does not refuse her. This is not a prosperity gospel where God just pours treasures upon us. Ruth has gone through the school of hard knocks. Ruth has placed herself into the center of God’s will. God hears her prayer through Boaz. Boaz is sincere. Remember in Chapter 2 where Boaz prayed a prayer. He said this: “may the Lord reward you for your deeds.” God used Boaz to answer his own prayer. Often, God will do that. Boaz listens to God and Boaz acts. He gave Ruth 6 measures of barley just to let her know he was going to do all that he could in her situation. He was going to be sure she was taken care of. This is a pledge. This is an engagement ring. This gift she received is about 2 to 3 times what she had spent the entire day gleaning in Ch. 2 of the book of Ruth. It is about 2 bushels of barley. Here we have a picture of Ruth giving her life to Boaz and in this time of trial, and this time of tribulation. Ruth finds way more than blessings than she could have ever found on her own. God rewards the faithful. God rewards those who seek to live in God’s will. God rewards those who willingly lay their life down for Christ.
Boaz says I will not rest until this matter is take care of.
Isn’t it good to know that our God will not rest until he knows we are covered in the blood Jesus Christ. Ruth does rest. Ruth has an assurance of Boaz’s actions. We rest in God because we know that God has secured our salvation in Jesus Christ if we only will accept his saving work.
A goal becomes a plan. A plan is carried out. Consequences occur. The question is – are we living for God? Faithful unto our calling. Committed to our Savior. This is a story of redemption. God is working in this plan. Let us commit ourselves to the great redeemer, Jesus our Savior. Amen.
Snow Date: January 31st
Finding Grace in Unexpected Places
January 24th – Ruth Ch. 2:10-13; 19-20
Jim Whittaker
Introduction:
Several years ago, a man named Robert Hastings wrote an essay called "The Station." Its point was that we should close the door on the past, (we can’t change the past), leave the future to God (we realize that even the future is out of our control at times), and relish the present. The essay got wide attention after syndicated columnist Ann Landers ran the essay in her column, and many people were moved by it. After Hastings died in 1997, Landers ran the essay again, saying that it was one of the most requested item by her readers in the many years she had been writing the column.
Here's one line from the essay, which summarizes its point: "Yesterday's a fading sunset; tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and live."
In short, the essay advises us to take the time to appreciate the present.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. If there is one thing you would like to do to begin this journey toward tomorrow, would it not be to put yourself in God’s grace and to put yourself right here right now.
We have all made mistakes. We have all had distresses, troubles, heartaches, and disappointments. We all have the choice to let the past dictate our present. We all need a lesson from Ruth today. Let go. Let go of the past, and put your faith in God’s present.
Now here is the tricky part, as Christians we rush forward and look to Christ’s return. We can live as each day waiting for Christ’s return, but I want to tell you that is not scriptural. The scriptures are clear, God expects us to be doing God’s kingdom work when he returns. We should be saying I need to make each minute count in the present because there might not be much time.
I believe Ruth tells us that – Live in Today. Let go of the past, and don’t jump to the future.
Had Ruth and Naomi stayed in the past, they both would have been bitter, and probably died in mourning. Had they even looked to the future, they might have been overcome with doubt and worry. Chapter two gives us a new page in Naomi’s and Ruth’s life. It is one of new beginning. The very definition of Grace is an undeserved favor given so that we can start anew. Remember last week when I said Ruth’s name was refresh to or make new. That in effect is a definition of grace. Today, Ruth and Naomi, will encounter grace. We want to find grace just as Ruth and Naomi did.
I. How can we position ourselves in grace? Put ourselves where God is.
a. Practice Spiritual Disciplines
When I have made prayers here for the church, what I have discovered is when I ask God for help, God almost always asks me to do something and to change something that I am doing. For us to position ourselves in God’s grace, actually requires some effort on our part. God’s grace is free, but we must respond to it. God’s gift of salvation is free, but we must come accept God’s saving work and the end result is to accept the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. God will change us when we pray.
I share with you this prayer. I have praying for a year or so that our church would touch 25 new people and help them in their faith walk. I asked if any in the congregation would join me in that prayer, and there were a few. When I first began that prayer, I felt God speak to me, you are going to have co-operate with your prayer. You are going to have to change some things if you want to touch 25 new people for Christ. So I did. To pray, is to change. Prayer opens us up to join in God’s kingdom work, which may require a change on our part.
I imagine that both Ruth and Naomi had prayed for grace from God in their situation. They were both widows in a land without social security. Ruth was young enough to work, but where would a woman work 3,000 years ago. The Bethlehem Enquirer was not hiring secretaries nor female news reporters. These women were in a place where they needed some undeserved favor, some undeserved grace.
I share with you another prayer experience. I had been practicing praying more and more and longer and longer. I remember praying one time and I felt God tell me, you’ve prayed long enough get up and turn your prayers into action. We often are our own answer to our prayers – we must put legs on our prayers.
Sometimes the answers to our prayers is in ourselves when we place ourselves in God’s grace.
b. Find God’s will and get there
Chapter 2 begins with Ruth requesting that her mother-in-law let her go to try to glean or to obtain some food. She says, perhaps someone will favor on me. The Israelites practiced a form of gleaning. Ruth did something about her situation. She put legs on her prayers. She went where others could help her.
II. What other practices of grace?
a. Gleaning – A practice of helping.
The Levite law allowed for widows, and sojourners to get what is left in the field after the reapers went through. It was a way to intentionally not cut down and harvest all of the crop, but to intentionally leave some for the poor and the needy. It was a way to be sure that the poorest of the land had a way to be fed. Those who had the most, the landowners, were required to not clear cut the harvest.
Leviticus 19:9, “when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.“
How can we glean today?
a. Through Organizations - The Society of St. Andrew is an organization that gleans today. They go in the fields of eastern North Carolina and harvests potatoes and yams left by the harvesting machinery. I know some of you have personally harvested some of these potatoes. The Society of St. Andrew will do a potato drop where they dump a dump truck load of potatoes for you to bag up. We could even request to that here at our church and then we would give the potatoes away.
b. Through our Financial Practices: There are other was to glean today that we might not think of, but I believe the biblical element of gleaning is present. We are not to use all of the income that comes to us for our own benefit, but to leave some to help others. In essence, we leave the corners of our paycheck so that we can help others. We might think of our Food Pantry as a way we can glean today. Gleaning is not just an Old Testament concept. It is a biblical concept. Don’t use all you have for yourself. We were challenged last week to give sacrificially to the great destruction we have seen in Haiti.
Remember the farmer that Jesus talked about. He had plenty and built bigger barns to hold all of his abundance, but he had forgotten to take into account the fact that one day, he would go to meet God. He had not lived according to God’s commandments to love others, to help others, to show mercy to others, and to even help others change their situation. What would he say when God asked him why didn’t he give out of his abundance
This story is a reminder to us – practice gleaning. Give God your tithes and offering, but still hold back some so that you can help others.
b. Practice Hesed – or undeserved kindness, and favor.
Boaz enters into our scripture today. He is described as a wealthy man, a man of strength, and of godly virtue. In other words, he would do what is right. When Ruth when out to find a field to glean on, would you believe it, or what luck, she picked Boaz a near kinsman. Is this luck? Or is God actively working in Ruth’s life as she steps out in faith believing that God will make a new life for her and Naomi.
This whole book is a book of new beginnings. Ruth is seeking the new. It is not a time to be bitter or miserable. Ruth asked to glean on Boaz’s land. Why? Was she trying to get a head start on others? Since she was a foreigner living in Bethlehem, did the laws actually exclude her? Was there immigration laws on the books that we aren’t aware of that made the act of her gleaning a pure out act of grace and kindness? She is consistently defined as the Moabite. I would assume that this was done in love, but like we might say about foreigners – those Hispanics.
For some reason as soon as Boaz got to the field, he noticed Ruth. The translation is a little difficult. Either Ruth is standing on the edge of the field waiting permission from Boaz to glean or she was a stranger among the poor who was gleaning.
In any case, Boaz saw the unseen. There is a lot in this passage in regard to seeing and getting to know. Ruth was a foreigner and was not seen by the regular person, but Boaz saw her a person of worth.
c. Looking for and Seeing the Unseen – The poor, the marginal, the immigrant, the elderly, the unchurched.
Who is it that we do not see? It is easy for us to oversee anyone that is not like us. They may be young or they maybe old. They maybe poor or they maybe wealthy. They maybe sick or they maybe healthy. Who is that we do not see? Do we see the foreigner as valuable or as a person of worth? Would we be so quick as Boaz to show kindness?
Let’s list out what Boaz did. This begins by him noticing Ruth and then continues.
1. Do not go anywhere else – this was saying you will be safe here.
2. He ordered the young men to not harass her.
3. It was a long way back to town for water, but Boaz said drink from what the workers have brought from town.
4. She ate from the same food that the workers did.
5. The workers were told to let her glean even when the barley had not been cut down.
6. If that wasn’t enough, pull out some barley and purposely leave some behind so she gets plenty.
This is kindness. This is hesed. Undeserved favor. This is grace. She did nothing to merit such kindness.
I said last week that Ruth was grace for Naomi. This week Boaz is grace for Ruth. In the same way, we have not done anything to deserve kindness from our heavenly father. In fact, we have consistently missed the mark that God has set for us. Yet in spite of this lack of merit, God grants us favor is we simply will believe in his saving work. Believe in Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.
3. How does God Practice Grace - Kinsman Redeemer
It helps if understand the background for Kinsman Redeemer. See the verses below:
Leviticus 25:25, we read: “If anyone of your kin falls into difficulty and sells a piece of property, then the next of kin shall come and redeem what the relative has sold.”
Deuteronomy 25:5-10, it was a brother’s duty to marry his deceased brother’s wife. He and his deceased brother’s widow were to give birth to a first-born son. This son would be named after the deceased husband to perpetuate his name and family line. This son would also receive the deceased husband’s inheritance.
V. 1 – Boaz is a kinsman or relative. V. 20 Boaz is one of our nearest kin. We had defined last week a kinsman redeemer as one who could redeem the family line. Brothers, Uncles or cousins would fit the bill. Naomi had no other sons. Boaz was probably an uncle. He was older than her as he called her “daughter,” which probably reflected back to age. The story is being set. All hope was lost. Ruth is begging for food. She is hoping that someone would just show her some mercy.
a. It is not an accident.
I have often heard there are no coincidences only God incidences. While we are struck at how lucky Ruth was, perhaps it wasn’t luck at all. It was God actively at work. Boaz is the second nearest kin person, which means he certainly can be a kinsman redeemer.
b. Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer
In I Corinthians 15:45-47, Paul talks about a first Adam and a last Adam or as sometimes called the 2nd Adam. Adam represents all humanity. God created us to live in fellowship with him. God also created us so that we weren’t robots, but could freely choose to accept or reject him. When Adam and Eve went their own way and ate the fruit, they in essence rejected God’s plan. Humanity is now a sin filled humanity, broken and in need o f healing. The curse given in this transaction is death. We die physically and we die spiritually. But, there was another Adam, created by God just as the first Adam was but he was also God so that he could not fail his task. Jesus was the second Adam. He was perfect in all his ways. Where the first Adam failed in obedience to God, Jesus did not fail. Where the first Adam was unfaithful toward God, Jesus was always faithful. Where death entered the world through the first Adam, because of the resurrection, life is now available through the last Adam or Jesus. Jesus as an act of kindness and faithfulness, demonstrated to the world the saving grace of God. Jesus redeemed humanity. Jesus is our nearest Kin. He redeemed us. He bought us. He ransomed us. The story of Boaz is opening up to us a bigger picture. God is a redeeming God.
Conclusion: Where do you need grace today?
Question 1: Ready for a New Start? Or maybe you just need some grace to help you on the journey your in. Ruth and Naomi, I believe prayed. Boaz in v. 12 and 13 prays for Ruth that God will reward her for her virtuous living and may she be strengthened as God’s eagle wings cover and protect her.
We respond to God’s grace given to us. There was prayer involved. There is action given to try to help their situation. There is boldness, brashness, and humbleness.
Question 2: I ask, how hard do we seek to be within God’s grace. Is a little dab a do you by coming to church on Sunday enough or do you seek it all week. Are your prayers asking? “God be merciful to me a sinner. “
This passage is more than just seeking grace or even understanding grace. It is also a picture of a helping grace. We maybe someone answer to prayer.
Question 3: How do we glean? Do we leave room to help others.
Question 4: How do we show kindness? Do we go overboard as Boaz did to show kindness to someone who needed some kindness.
Question 5: Do we believe that God redeems? First our very soul, and then with the help of God’s holy Spirit maybe even help in redeeming others. Are we about bringing others to God? Have we brought ourselves before God.
God’s grace is available to all. Put yourself with God’s wonderful marvelous grace. Amen.
Sermon – “Running on Empty”
Ruth 1:15-22 – Series: Grace for Troubled Times
January 17th, 2010
Jim Whittaker
Introduction
When I read the book of Ruth and old song that I had to look up to remember was one titled, “Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne. That goes back to 1975. This sure seems like a story where one is running on empty. There is nothing left. If you have ever ran out of gas on your car, you know that is a fearful feeling to first see the warning light come on and then to feel the sputtering. Dianna and I drove to Atlanta one time on a tank of gas. We should be able to make it back, right? We didn’t. We ran out of gas in Morrisville. I made a trip back to Huntington, WV and if we can drive to Atlanta on a tank of gas, surely I can drive to Huntington. The car started sputtering just as I was driving by a gas station and I quickly turned in and filled up with gas. That really is a dreadful feeling. Running on empty means there is nothing left. This is Naomi’s story today.
Background
I need to give you some background, to our book. I personally consider this one of the most significant books of the Old Testament. The key word in this short book is “redeemer.” It is mentioned 23 times. Another key word is “return.” It is mentioned 15 times. We might look at this book and think this is just the history of David’s great-grandmother, but that is selling the book short. In the Hebrew Bible, this story is placed with the wisdom literature. Yes, Ruth was a real person, but this book has a story to tell. It has wisdom within its pages. It is by no means just about a woman named Naomi and her faithful daughter-in-law named Ruth. If you think so, then you do not know this book.
This book is the “Good Samaritan” story of the Old Testament. Ruth’s faithful behavior helps a woman named Naomi, which means peaceful to come home and even she said her new name was ‘bitterness,’ we know that she again returned to peace. A foreigner made this possible. Ruth’s name means “to refresh anew.”
There are so many ironies in this story that we miss. The story begins in Bethlehem, which is known as the “land of bread,” but there is no bread. They leave to find bread in the land of Moab, which for the Israelite would represent death and destruction. In other words, they went to find life in the land of death. Her sons name – we might think they are not important, but again listen to the irony. Mahlon means “weakness” and the other son Chilion means “sickness.” This family takes their weak and sick family to the land of death and destruction. Just from the names, we might be able to figure out – this isn’t going to be good.
But, there is still one more huge detail you need to know about this story. It is the concept known as “Kinsman Redeemer.” If you know nothing of this term, then you will think this is nothing but wisdom literature or even just a recounting of history, but you will be wrong on both accounts. This is a story of God’s saving grace, and if that makes you think of Jesus and his work on the cross, you are not out of line in interpreting this story in its bigger picture. So let’s define Kinsman redeemer. The family line went through the male line much like it does today except Israel was quite concerned to keep the family going as you belonged to clans and tribes. If a son married and died without children, then his nearest kin would marry the wife of the dead son and the first born son in that marriage would be his brother’s child and would get his brother’s inheritance. The family line was redeemed through the closest kin. Enough with the definitions, let’s go to the story, and we can ask some questions that the story is begging us to ask:
1. Where do you go when life throws you a lemon? When all seems bad or sour?
We find where a man named Elimelech, which means “God is king” living in the land of bread encounters a famine. A famine is when we feel like we are lost in the wilderness. It is when we can’t seem to get our basic needs met. It is when we are hungry and are seeking answers. What do you do? The man named “God is King” living in the land of bread where there is no bread decides to go to the land of death and destruction because he has heard there is bread.
a. Facing Reality and making choices
Does that telling of the story make you wonder whether or not this is a good move? It should because it is saying we might think the lures, and temptations of the world will provide happiness and fulfill our purpose in life, but they will not. The world does not have all of the answers. Physical needs are not all there is. Unknown to Elimelech, the choice that seems to make the most sense, is not the best choice. There is a truth in this passage. Sometimes, we make bad choices. We didn’t make them on purpose. We did what seemed best at the time. Our own choices will lead us to places we did not intend to go.
Another truth in this passage, sometimes life is going to throw us some things we didn’t expect – a curve ball so to speak. Did the man named “God is my King” pray to God? That is a good question. We kind of get the feeling that he panicked and made a rash decision. He left God’s people to go to a godless people. He must have worried much about their family’s fate. He seems to have lost his connection with God, and he is willing to risk his own life for the sake of his family.
Been there? Where do we go when disease, death, and financial crisis strikes us? We become discontented and wonder why God doesn’t do something. Our purpose today is not to answer the question of why evil happens to good people. We covered that last year. What I am asking are we there – why is this happening to me?
From Running on Empty website: “We don't talk about it, but our discontentment with life shows: we grumble, get angry at small things, eat too much, drink too much, drive too fast . . .Even find God irrelevant to our lives. In consideration of faith the website says: We see the power that evil has and wonder why God doesn't intervene. We pray on occasion, but sense that our prayers go nowhere.
We've gone to church but either have found no connection to our live or found it to be pop psychology.”
Shakespeare quoted, “now is the winter of our discontent.”
b. Consequences of choices
Well I guess we should not be surprised if a man named “God is king” living in the land of bread where there is no bread goes to death and destruction to find bread and ends up finding just what the land said it had. Death and destruction. We find that Elimelech and his two sons die. There are no grandchildren. Ruth says she left the land of bread full with a husband and two sons. Now she has no source of support. She is old. Her family line is gone.
Now it is Namoi’s turn to face her sour circumstances and as she sees as “sour grapes.” She is bitter. She decides to return to the land of bread hoping to find bread. She states God is against her. Naomi’s situation is different. She had little to do with the choice was made. In fairness, for a woman living in her time, she is a victim of circumstances that has left her poor, bitter, in poverty, and with no children and grandchildren. She feels God’s hand has actually been against her. In desperation, she decides to go home.
Sometimes, we need to return home. Returning home will mean different things to different people. Sometimes life was hard as a child. Maybe returning home is just facing who we are. In this story though returning home is to leave the land of “death and destruction” to go the land where bread is life. Yes, it is a return to God. Even in her bitterness, even though she did not understand why her circumstances were so harsh, Naomi who wanted to be known as the bitter one knew that she needed to return to God. Jesus said “I am the bread of life.” The book of Acts says, “there is no other name under heaven where we can be saved.” Naomi had come to the place where she knew she had to return home. She was running on empty and there was only one place where she could get filled up.
II. Ruth was a woman whose heart belonged to God
We really have just set up the story. So far, we have the way of humanity leads to death and destruction. This will leads us to bitterness. Even returning back to God, might just leave us bitter. What we need is joy. What we need is redemption. Now the story truly begins. Naomi packs her meager belongings and sets out toward the Land of Bread. Her two daughter-in-laws, who have also experienced tragedy in their lives, give this last act of hospitality as they walk her out of the city, but before their journey back becomes too big. Naomi turns to her daughter in laws and tells them to return from where you came (We have the return home theme again). She even warns them that God is against her and if they go with her it is probably going to be bad times.
a. Introduction of Kinsman Redeemer
Naomi says something strange. If I could have a son, and she says I have no husband, I am old, who could this happen, but even if it could happen, are you going to wait until the son grows up to be their kinsman redeemer. No it would be foolish to wait. You are free. Go and marry people of your own country. She is saying. I cannot provide your redemption. I can’t redeem the family name. Then she says go, and may the Lord deal “kindly” with you. We need to slow down to see this word. It is the Hebrew word hesed. It means God’s faithful, sure, and steadfast love and mercy. It means grace. May God show grace unto you – an undeserved favor, because you have shown grace to me.
Unknown to Naomi who wants to be called bitter, God is directly intervening in her world. It seems that Naomi in the past has shown her daughter-in-law so much love and care and the grace of God that Ruth has been converted. She can’t go back. Perhaps, this is a reminder to us that after we have experienced God’s grace, we can’t go back to live in the world of sin. In the land of Moab, that is where the Arabs lived. They were a different people. Never did Naomi make any distinction between her and her daughter-in-laws. The wording that is used for the daughter-in-laws never makes any distinction. It reminds me of Galatians: there is not distinction between male and female; no distinction between Jew and Gentile. All that matters, is our heart given over to God.
b. Grace is given in the form of one named Ruth
Naomi the bitter one had given up that anything good could happen to her. Then Ruth tells her one of the more famous lines in the Bible.
I beg you do not make me leave. Where ever you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay, your people will be my people, and your God will become my God. May the Lord bring death to me If I leave you before my natural death.
34 years ago, Dianna and I sat with the preacher and said the normal marriage vows were fine, but we didn’t know if they truly spoke about how serious we were in our vows. We wanted also to say our own vows by memorization while we face each other. Preacher Wade told us he could not recommend that. You are going to be nervous. You will almost certainly mess up and you are memorizing it.
So on that wedding night, Dianna and I stood before each other and the congregation and said these words:
Do not ask me to leave you, just don’t do it.
For where you go, I am going.
Where you make your home, that will be my home.
Your people as crazy as they are, are now my people.
Your God, that is my God.
Where you die and are buried, that’s where I am going to die and be buried.
And may the Lord bring me death, if am not faithful unto these vows.
By God’s grace, we didn’t mess up. By God’s grace, we are still together. By God’s grace, Ruth, the one who brings refreshment, brings a glimmer of hope to Naomi who has given up all hope.
Things are never so bad that God’s grace can’t find us. Elimelech took things in his own hand. They didn’t turn out the best. Naomi has to deal with all the harshness and bad things life has given her. Sometimes we need to realize that we have allowed ourselves to get in a lost and barren land, a wilderness, a place of death and destruction. We have left the land of life, the God of mercy and grace. Naomi is reborn. She is made anew. She rededicates her life unto God. She doesn’t have the answers. She still is bitter and mad with God for not stepping into her situation yet she sees the need to bring herself closer to God.
In her emptiness, she finds God. In her bitterness, she is brought where she can see grace. In God’s grace, redemption awakes. She will once again be full. She will once again be a woman of peace.
God brings grace to our troubles. That doesn’t mean we won’t have problems, face trials, and tribulations and even death itself, but it means we will not walk alone. Ruth is a gift from God. Naomi is no longer alone. That parting point in the road was a way of grace.
Do you need to come home? Do your loved ones need to come home? Running from God will only bring hardship and difficulties. Are you running on empty? Feel like you have no reserves. God is calling you today. Come home. Amen.
Sermon – Blue People Sure Stand Out
Lectionary: Luke 3:15-17; 21-22; Baptism of our Lord Sunday
January 10, 2010
Jim Whittaker
Introduction:
When we were at Disney, there were some costumed people that were just blue – blue all over. I thought I would check them out and did a Google search for blue people; instead, I found that there is a blood disorder where the blood is not naturally a NC State red. It became prevalent for a little while in Hazard County, Kentucky. The blood is a cloudy, chocolaty color that makes the skin look blue. Best I could tell, it looked to be a Carolina blue. I thought bleeding blue was just something you said.
Well if you are looking for blue people, you might also run across the science fiction movie that has recently hit the theatres titled Avatar. We are on another planet trying to get valuable minerals and there is these strange blue people living right where the mother lode is. As the movie trailer says, these people are hard to kill so the plot begins.
Blue people - talk about standing out from the crowd. Perhaps, the easiest way to stand out is what you wear. A preacher’s robe kind of stands out in the crowd. The Franciscan brown robe stands out, but so does glittery blue jeans and purple hair. Today we are looking at baptism. I want you to consider this statement found in Galatians 3:27, “as many of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” What does it mean to say we are clothed with Christ? Does it make us stand out in the crowd – kind of blue like? This is what happens in baptism.
For baptism, we look at our Lord’s baptism. There are some things going on in Luke 3 that are puzzling? The people are expecting the wrong Messiah. Jesus ties baptism, Holy Spirit, and judgment together – what’s up with judgment? Then the big question – why did Jesus get baptized? I mean after all, he is Jesus.
Let’s take these questions, one at a time. First, why are the people expecting the wrong Messiah?
I believe this question is pertinent to us today as we are expecting the Messiah or Jesus’ return. Let’s make a comparison. The Jews in Jesus’ day were expecting a military leader to come and to rally the troops, and by the grace of God, overthrow the Roman oppressors or sinners and to execute judgment on the Roman Empire and their ungodly leaders. Their whole reason for the Messiah’s coming was to get what was their back – their land, their country, and to get rid of what they wanted no part of – Roman or ungodly influence.
Move forward 2,000 years. I am going to look at the 2nd coming through many of our television preachers as they explain prophecy to us. We are looking for Jesus to come as a military leader with the help of the angels to overthrow the ungodly (Roman like) governments even called the “New Roman Empire,” to execute judgment on the ungodly leaders. The whole reason for the Messiah’s return is to get rid of the Roman like ungodly influence and to execute the final judgment.
You can’t help but note some similarities. I am not trying to dispute any of the preachers. I am just saying we are looking for the same Messiah that Jesus’ generation missed. There have been a ton of shows on the Final Armageddon and the end of the world in 2012. In fact, there has been a movie made named 2012. We are focused on destruction and judgment. I am not saying it doesn’t exist. What I am saying is perhaps Christ wants us to focus more on the transformation and saving grace of the world. Jesus message was to repent. It was to love God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
The text says in Jesus’ time – expectations were high and their hearts were moved. Jesus was in their midst and they did not even notice him. What if Jesus was in our world (in our midst) and we didn’t even notice him? The fact is Jesus is here. Here is the answer to the question: why were the people missing the Messiah? They were looking out for their own selfish wants and desires. In effect, they were saying: God please punish the sinners and take us righteous people to your heavenly delights. Let’s be sure we don’t make the same mistake. If you have experienced God’s grace, you should give out God’s grace. Philippians 1:27, “live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (NRSV).
What is up with Judgment?
We are not going to avoid the judgment though. John the Baptist said Jesus would bring baptize us with the Holy Spirit and judgment (or fire). So what’s up with judgment? I am thinking about a baptismal renewal service and a thankfulness of God for grace, and John says Jesus is bringing judgment.
Let’s state a few facts: Jesus is coming again and there will be a great white throne judgment or the final judgment. All people believers and unbelievers will all come before God and there will be two books according to the book of Revelation: 1) Are you a believer? Yes or No. 2) If you say, you are a believer, what do you have to show for it. II Cor. 5:10, “for all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (NRSV). Romans 2:5-6, on the day of wrath (judgment), he will “repay each according to each one’s deeds.” Yes we are saved by grace and grace alone, but grace will change our lives. This fact is why Paul said work out your salvation with trembling. Yes, we are saved by grace, but God doesn’t expect us to go on living as if God doesn’t exist. That is a practical atheist.
Here was the problem. People thought they were saved because they were a Jew. Nothing else was needed. It was your “get out of hell” card. That’s what made John the Baptizers preaching so dramatic. He stated that repentance and a break from the old life was needed. There are 3 specific things John preached according to William Barclay: 1) We are to share and to help the poor and the sick. 2) Wherever you are, you have a duty to God. The tax collector should be a good or godly tax collector. 3) There is a judgment, but if you have been faithful unto God and faithful to the duties God has given us, we should not be threatened by the Judgment.
The judgment is a fact. We cannot rely on our good family name, our church membership, nor even a faith statement made to Christ 20 years ago. We can’t rely on profession of Christ nor baptism if we have turned our back on what we said we had given unto God. We are to rely on the fact that God is faithful. Baptism then is a reminder that we have not measured up to God’s holy standards, but when we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus and live like we believe, God is faithful and will give us grace. To be baptized is to say, I am one of Christ’s. I am not afraid of God’s judgment, because I have placed myself in God’s grace.
Our Last Question: Why was Jesus Baptized?
This perhaps begs us to define baptism. What is troubling is we look at the waters of baptism as being cleansing. In other words through Christ, our sins our missing of God’s mark can be washed away or cleansed from our life. Why would Christ, the perfect one, need to be cleansed? Well that assumes there is only one definition of baptism. In fact, there are quite a few. Baptism represents new life (II Cor. 5:17). Baptism is incorporation into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12). Baptism represents the resurrection. We have hope in the resurrection (Romans 6). Baptism is forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Jesus wasn’t baptized because he needed his sins forgiven.
Baptism, profession of faith, and the Holy Spirit are all tightly woven together. Where there is one there is the other. One may happen before the other or they may all happen simultaneously, but what is definitely clear in scriptures they are all 3 important. While we profess Jesus Christ as savior and redeemer for salvation, we submit ourselves unto the clothing of baptism. While we have a public baptism once, we should be baptized in God’s Holy Spirit daily. So why was Jesus baptized? Jesus was baptized to give us a model of placing ourselves in God. Jesus was baptized to show his oneness and faithfulness unto God the father. We are baptized to show our faithfulness unto God the Father, and in faith, we participate in the work of the Holy Spirit in transforming our lives.
Remember the blue people. They were different right? When we are baptized, we are putting on Christ – the garment of Christ. God has offered divine grace. We respond with profession of faith and submitting ourselves unto the cloak of Christ. That’s what baptism is about. It is making us one with Christ. We are saying I am a Christ follower. We are saying not only do we believe that we need to be redeemed, but that Christ wants to redeem these selfish desires that come with being human into loving both God and others as God desires. When you put on the garments of Christ, it is God’s grace, and a human response, but one thing is for sure. You are different. You have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. You should stand out like the blue people, because as Christians we are people of love and grace.
Today we are all challenged to remember our baptism. It is a reminder that we have placed ourselves in God’s grace, and that we should be living like people of grace. We should be full of the love of God and neighbor.
Maybe, you need to commit yourself to baptism today. I am calling you to come forward today and to remember our baptismal vows: that is to profess Jesus as both Savior and Lord, to rid ourselves of evil in our life by cooperating with the work of the Holy Spirit, and then to also allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit and to speak out and transform the evils we see in the world. When we are faithful to the one who is faithful unto us, we will hear the words, “you are my child the beloved, well done good and faithful servant.” God doesn’t ask us to be perfect. God is. God asks us to be faithful.
Renew your baptismal vows today. Amen.
Sermon – God Reveals Himself in our Work
Eph. 3:1-12 – The Epiphany of Christ
January 3, 2010
Jim Whittaker
Introduction
We are in the midst of the 12 days of Christmas, which runs from Christmas to the Epiphany. Epiphany means God manifested. Of course, what we are talking about is God made known through the baby Jesus. The traditional reading for today brings us the 3 wise-men. This is significant because outsiders bring gifts unto God. This is unusual and should cause us to pause. Ephesians tells us that it is a mystery.
We all love a good mystery. How else could Sherlock Holmes be made into a movie unless we loved a mystery. The typical mystery is where the will is going to be read to potential heirs of a rich estate. During the night, someone is mysteriously killed. There are clues around, but the police are baffled. Along comes a sharp detective that pulls it all together like Sherlock Holmes. “It is elementary my dear Watson.” We can play the role of detective in the game of Clue. My grandsons love playing that game as we guess who committed the murder.
Paul’s mystery given in Ephesians is similar to the murder mystery in that no one expected it. What was it that no one expected? God’s grace given in Jesus Christ. Genesis 12:3b says all people on the earth will be blessed because of the covenant God makes with Abraham, but who knew God’s love and grace were so great. The mystery in Ephesians is simply this. God made a covenant with the Jews. God has now expanded his covenant to include Gentiles or non-Jews.
The Jews were picked as God’s people. This election was a gift of grace. It was through Abraham that Jesus God’s son is born, and it through Jesus that God’s grace is made available to all – not just the Jews, but to everyone. This is our story we tell. Grace is made available Jesus Christ. We didn’t deserve grace, but it was freely given.
We are now heirs of the riches of God. God has written us into his will so to speak, and there is no end to God’s riches. The even stranger thing is this offer of grace is still open. God has not closed the door. God’s grace is available to everyone who accepts his grace. Now, God wants to use us his church so that everyone can be told of this wonderful and marvelous story of grace (Eph. 3:10-12).
What would a church look like that lives bound in the boundless riches of Christ?
A lot of time, churches can live in a land of scarcity, when in fact we have a wealthy father. We are reminded that within God all things are possible.
How can we live in the boundless riches of Christ?
As we look ahead in this new year, 2010, let us remember that we should do everything it takes to get the gospel good news message to everyone we possibly can. There is no one with whom we should not share the good news of grace too. Let us remember, we have been commissioned to be good stewards of the gospel of grace. In other words, are we willing to do whatever it takes? Are we willing to see there are strangers in our midst. There are 60 to 90 new people moving into the Bear Creek area each year, do we see them? Are we telling them of the boundless grace of God? Are we telling them that God’s grace extends to them?
Our community is slowly changing? Are we changing to reach our community?
We say we are a people of radical hospitality.
1) We should be welcoming, seeking, inviting, and including in our midst. Ask yourself what can I do to show radical hospitality? Don’t put off on someone else or your pastor what each of us can do. I Peter says we are all priests and that we should offer sacrifices unto God (I Peter 2:5) and that we should “love one another deeply from the heart” (I Peter 1:22). We are moved to action because Christ first loved us. 2) I challenge us as a congregation to see that our church facilities as they are currently can be used more to reach people for Christ. As we grow our facilities must become central to our community as our church is a gift to our community. What I mean is that we become a community center. Any expansion of our building should have that in mind.
3) Our facilities need to be more children friendly. We need to improve on our looks. Sights and sounds are important to children. Why is Big Bird – yellow? Or Blues clues blue? Our nursery needs a baby bed and need brightened up.
We say we are a people of risk-taking mission.
1) Risk taking, I believe is begging us all to get more personally involved. If we want to touch people for Christ, we cannot stay on the sidelines. If you are older, you have wisdom to give us. If you are young, you have enthusiasm to give us, but all ages should be involved. God didn’t call us to be spectators. God called us to be workers in Christ.
A few years ago, the Bishop called on all preachers to read two books, “Good to Great” and “Tipping Point.” They both had this picture in it. It takes a lot of work to get a huge flywheel that stands 12 feet tall going, but once it gets going, it can maintain itself on its own momentum. In effect, we were being asked to get the flywheel going. Once it gets going on its own, it takes little effort to keep it going – that is the tipping point. We are at the point where great things can happen.
2) I want to challenge us to give toward missions what only a few great churches are able to do – that is about 20 to 25% of our total giving goes toward missions. We are not that far from it right now. Our mission might be next door, the next town, or the next state or even country. Few churches are able to do it. I believe we can, because the flywheel is going. It will take all of us to do what we can. If we are going to be about doing the Kingdom work of God, we cannot take God’s call lightly. If we can’t dream of the big things God can do, do we actually expect God to do it? God has boundless riches. This is about us growing into God’s kingdom.
We say we are a people of intentional spiritual formation.
1) Everyone needs to be in a Sunday School group, prayer group, or other study group. I Peter 2 says as babes long for milk so we should long for God’s word. I want to repeat again – 100% participation in a “growth group.” We may have to rearrange things to get all of the groups in the church then so be it. I am asking all that are not attending Sunday School to find a group you can grow in. Maybe we need a new group. Maybe God is calling you to start it.
God manifests himself when we come humbly as the shepherds and the kings to see God in the flesh – the baby Jesus. God manifests himself to us as we come humbly to him and say use me and our church for the glory of God. Is God calling you today to make a step of faith? Do you need to give your heart to Jesus? Do you need to make a step of commitment and be baptized? Do you need to join the church and say I want to see God and work and I am going to support God’s work every way I can. May God be manifests in our lives and our church in new ways this year. Amen.
Sermon – God Reveals Himself in our Work
Eph. 3:1-12 – The Epiphany of Christ
January 3, 2010
Jim Whittaker
Introduction
We are in the midst of the 12 days of Christmas, which runs from Christmas to the Epiphany. Epiphany means God manifested. Of course, what we are talking about is God made known through the baby Jesus. The traditional reading for today brings us the 3 wise-men. This is significant because outsiders bring gifts unto God. This is unusual and should cause us to pause. Ephesians tells us that it is a mystery.
We all love a good mystery. How else could Sherlock Holmes be made into a movie unless we loved a mystery. The typical mystery is where the will is going to be read to potential heirs of a rich estate. During the night, someone is mysteriously killed. There are clues around, but the police are baffled. Along comes a sharp detective that pulls it all together like Sherlock Holmes. “It is elementary my dear Watson.” We can play the role of detective in the game of Clue. My grandsons love playing that game as we guess who committed the murder.
Paul’s mystery given in Ephesians is similar to the murder mystery in that no one expected it. What was it that no one expected? God’s grace given in Jesus Christ. Genesis 12:3b says all people on the earth will be blessed because of the covenant God makes with Abraham, but who knew God’s love and grace were so great. The mystery in Ephesians is simply this. God made a covenant with the Jews. God has now expanded his covenant to include Gentiles or non-Jews.
The Jews were picked as God’s people. This election was a gift of grace. It was through Abraham that Jesus God’s son is born, and it through Jesus that God’s grace is made available to all – not just the Jews, but to everyone. This is our story we tell. Grace is made available Jesus Christ. We didn’t deserve grace, but it was freely given.
We are now heirs of the riches of God. God has written us into his will so to speak, and there is no end to God’s riches. The even stranger thing is this offer of grace is still open. God has not closed the door. God’s grace is available to everyone who accepts his grace. Now, God wants to use us his church so that everyone can be told of this wonderful and marvelous story of grace (Eph. 3:10-12).
What would a church look like that lives bound in the boundless riches of Christ?
A lot of time, churches can live in a land of scarcity, when in fact we have a wealthy father. We are reminded that within God all things are possible.
How can we live in the boundless riches of Christ?
As we look ahead in this new year, 2010, let us remember that we should do everything it takes to get the gospel good news message to everyone we possibly can. There is no one with whom we should not share the good news of grace too. Let us remember, we have been commissioned to be good stewards of the gospel of grace. In other words, are we willing to do whatever it takes? Are we willing to see there are strangers in our midst. There are 60 to 90 new people moving into the Bear Creek area each year, do we see them? Are we telling them of the boundless grace of God? Are we telling them that God’s grace extends to them?
Our community is slowly changing? Are we changing to reach our community?
We say we are a people of radical hospitality.
1) We should be welcoming, seeking, inviting, and including in our midst. Ask yourself what can I do to show radical hospitality? Don’t put off on someone else or your pastor what each of us can do. I Peter says we are all priests and that we should offer sacrifices unto God (I Peter 2:5) and that we should “love one another deeply from the heart” (I Peter 1:22). We are moved to action because Christ first loved us. 2) I challenge us as a congregation to see that our church facilities as they are currently can be used more to reach people for Christ. As we grow our facilities must become central to our community as our church is a gift to our community. What I mean is that we become a community center. Any expansion of our building should have that in mind.
3) Our facilities need to be more children friendly. We need to improve on our looks. Sights and sounds are important to children. Why is Big Bird – yellow? Or Blues clues blue? Our nursery needs a baby bed and need brightened up.
We say we are a people of risk-taking mission.
1) Risk taking, I believe is begging us all to get more personally involved. If we want to touch people for Christ, we cannot stay on the sidelines. If you are older, you have wisdom to give us. If you are young, you have enthusiasm to give us, but all ages should be involved. God didn’t call us to be spectators. God called us to be workers in Christ.
A few years ago, the Bishop called on all preachers to read two books, “Good to Great” and “Tipping Point.” They both had this picture in it. It takes a lot of work to get a huge flywheel that stands 12 feet tall going, but once it gets going, it can maintain itself on its own momentum. In effect, we were being asked to get the flywheel going. Once it gets going on its own, it takes little effort to keep it going – that is the tipping point. We are at the point where great things can happen.
2) I want to challenge us to give toward missions what only a few great churches are able to do – that is about 20 to 25% of our total giving goes toward missions. We are not that far from it right now. Our mission might be next door, the next town, or the next state or even country. Few churches are able to do it. I believe we can, because the flywheel is going. It will take all of us to do what we can. If we are going to be about doing the Kingdom work of God, we cannot take God’s call lightly. If we can’t dream of the big things God can do, do we actually expect God to do it? God has boundless riches. This is about us growing into God’s kingdom.
We say we are a people of intentional spiritual formation.
1) Everyone needs to be in a Sunday School group, prayer group, or other study group. I Peter 2 says as babes long for milk so we should long for God’s word. I want to repeat again – 100% participation in a “growth group.” We may have to rearrange things to get all of the groups in the church then so be it. I am asking all that are not attending Sunday School to find a group you can grow in. Maybe we need a new group. Maybe God is calling you to start it.
God manifests himself when we come humbly as the shepherds and the kings to see God in the flesh – the baby Jesus. God manifests himself to us as we come humbly to him and say use me and our church for the glory of God. Is God calling you today to make a step of faith? Do you need to give your heart to Jesus? Do you need to make a step of commitment and be baptized? Do you need to join the church and say I want to see God and work and I am going to support God’s work every way I can. May God be manifests in our lives and our church in new ways this year. Amen.